Krav Maga Skill Transfer

By Moshe Katz

I used to work in a bank, long ago, but the lessons I learned there are still with me. At the time I did not feel I was learning anything useful but over the years I have come to glean quite a bit of wisdom from that experience.

One of the many frustrating experiences for myself and for our clients was transferring of accounts. Often a client would be moving to another location and would like to transfer his account to the branch nearest his new home or office. Made sense; you are still with the same bank but now you are closer to another branch, no big deal, right? well actually it was a bit deal; it took time, effort, money, and many forms to take care of this "simple matter." In fact most of our staff was so reluctant to deal with this that they made every excuse to avoid it. (The person who deals with these matters is in reserves in Gaza, we don't have the forms, it is the responsibility of the other branch...).

These days I have to deal with a different sort of Transfer of assets. Prospective clients, or students, approach me and would like to transfer their ranks from other styles of martial arts to IKI Krav Maga. They would like a "matching" rank in Krav Maga equivalent to their current rank in Karate, Jujitsu, Kung fu, basket-weaving or synchronized underwater swimming.

The problem is that the matter is simply not possible. If you have a degree in Accounting you cannot transfer it for a degree in Engineering and then apply for a job as an engineer; they are two different fields of study. Granted, your background of academic study will indeed help you in the pursuit of another degree, surely you will have picked up many good study habits and useful study shortcuts, but, you will still have to study the new material.

As one of my students pointed out - IKI Krav has its' own curriculum, techniques, and strategies. We are not just another Krav Maga organization, we are not a split off or break-away from some other organization because some Indian wanted to be "Chief". (no racism intended towards the great native American nations). Nope, we are our own style, home grown and unique. Yes, previous experience counts and yes, years of training in other styles will likely help you and speed you along, but no, you cannot transfer your rank.

I have seen students from some styles where their previous training was actually a hindrance and an obstacle to their ability to learn our style. I have seen people whose previous training prepared them so well that I can see them earning IKI Krav black belts in only a few months. Just recently during a visit to Canada I trained two students with black belts in Jujitsu, they picked up the IKI techniques at once, understand the concepts and the advantages and were fluent and fluid with the new techniques within minutes. On the other hand I have had some Karate guys who were so stiff and rigid that even after months of training I could not award them a white belt; they were in fact still in the Minus Belt category.

I would say this; if indeed you hold a high rank in another respected style I assume you worked long and hard to earn it: earn it , not buy it. With IKI we want you to respect your rank, once you earn it.